As the 2021–22 NBA regular season draws to a close, many key figures around the league have discussed the pros and cons of the league’s play-in tournaments. While some believe in the importance of pushing for one of the top 10 spots in each conference to at least get some chance at postseason success, others suggest that teams are better off in the long run by tanking at the end of the year in order to gain more favorable draft position.
For Gregg Popovich and the Spurs, the choice was always simple: compete every night and play to win as many games as possible.
Ahead of San Antonio’s regular season finale against Dallas on Sunday, Popovich was asked why his team decided to push for the Western Conference play-in tournament, rather than purposely drop games down the stretch. The league’s all-time winningest coach responded with a lengthy answer, detailing that he personally finds himself unable to go through with the latter philosophy.
